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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/30085527">Taken Under Silver Wings</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Foilfreak/pseuds/Foilfreak'>Foilfreak</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>A Family in all but Heritage: Why the Blood of the Covenent runs thicker than the Water of the Womb [9]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>One Piece</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>...maybe, ? - Freeform, Adopted Children, Adopted Son, Adoption, Buggy is less than thrilled, Child mihawk, Competent Buggy, Competent!Buggy, Cuz he cant be bothered to remember names most of the time, Fluff, Found Family, Gen, I ALMOST FORGOT MY FAVORITE TAG ON ALL OF AO3 HOW COULD I?????, Is that a real thing?, Reluctantly adopted, also because he’s an asshole, and gives people terrible nicknames in his head, but it fits, but we love him anyways, child buggy, child shanks, cuz this is roger and he loves teasing his first mate, good dad Rayleigh, good dad Roger, he’ll open up eventually, mihawk doesn’t want to be adopted but it ends up happening anyways, mihawk is also kind of an asshole, mihawk lived a rough life before Rayleigh took him in, now thats a tag I never thought I’d ever write, rayleigh adopts a kid for once, rayleigh adopts mihawk, roger is never gonna let Rayleigh live this one down, roger teases him a lot over it, shanks and buggy get a cousin, shanks is ecstatic, well if it wasnt before it sure as hell is now!</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-04-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 20:48:36</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>13,077</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/30085527</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Foilfreak/pseuds/Foilfreak</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Before he was the strongest, before he was a Warlord, before he was the most famous sword fighter the world had ever known, Mihawk was a child. A child who decided to travel the world and become the strongest swordsman. To do that, he needed to challenge the Dark King, the first mate of the Roger Pirates, whose Captain had a habit of adopting any young orphan who happened to come across his path. Mihawk didn’t know about that last part, nor did he know that the Dark King might soon be following his Captain’s example, and taking a fledgling of his own under his wings for a change.</p><p>Alternatively titled: How to accidentally give your Captain a nephew despite spending the better part of the last 7 years scolding him every time he came back to the ship with a new orphan he wanted to adopt. By Silvers Rayleigh</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Akagami no Shanks | Red-Haired Shanks &amp; Silvers Rayleigh, Buggy &amp; Silvers Rayleigh, Dracule Mihawk &amp; Silvers Rayleigh, Gol D. Roger &amp; Silvers Rayleigh</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>A Family in all but Heritage: Why the Blood of the Covenent runs thicker than the Water of the Womb [9]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1356013</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>81</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. A Promising Little Fledgling</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Good Morning you beautiful sacks of flesh and bone! If this is the first time you are stumbling upon the trash heap that is my AO3 account, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Foilfreak, and I am known across the internet for writing some of the most outrageously self-indulgent works of literature that mankind has been unfortunate enough to have to read. Today’s steaming pile of self-gratifying heathenry is brought to you by the extensive AU that Dragowolf helped me create and is slowly but surely becoming consuming me from the inside out. However, today’s segment in the ever growing monster I’ve created is a little bit different compared to the previous ones, and that is because this fic was actually written by my dear friend Dragowolf. Yup that’s right, I’ve started outsourcing writing fics for this AU to my co-creator because if i were to have to write them all myself i would literally never finish with this series (tbh i might still never finish with this series but imma get as close as physically possible dammit). You all seemed to enjoy her fic “Promised on a Hat”, and since im titties deep in shit trying to figure out how to finish up my Rouge fic, I’ve decided to assign another fic to her, this time featuring a new, perhaps slightly more unexpected individual who will be joining the Roger pirates on their crazy adventures, and since you’ve read the titles and the tags, Im assuming you already know that that individual is Mihawk!!! We figured it was about time to start adding more apprentices (read: adoptable orphans) to the ranks of the Roger pirates, and while Mihawk isn’t technically the next child they bring on after Buggy in the chronological timeline of my AU, nor is he being adopted by roger (for once), he is the one we will be addressing today (tho another fic featuring another aimless wandering teen in need of a home and some positive, loving male figures in his life will be coming very very soon ;-).) So everyone bask in the glory and beauty that is Dragowolf’s writing and make sure you leave lots of kudos and comments saying how much you loved this because she worked very hard on it and she deserves all the love and praise in the world for putting up with my crazy ass on a daily basis. Enjoy!!! &lt;3</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“Dark King Silvers Rayleigh! My name is Dracule Mihawk. I challenge you to a battle. Fight me so that I may defeat you and hone my skills even further.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>For as long as he could remember, Rayleigh had always looked forward to a sword challenge. He could never quite explain why. It was just a part of him, plain and simple as that. A strong and irresistible desire to test his skills and the skills of his opponent, sword to sword. Soul to soul. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ever since the fateful day he decided to pick up a sword and hone his skills in the noble art of swordsmanship, he’d been challenged by many people, from marines, to pirates, to even everyday people. Many had challenged the man known as the ‘Dark King’, hoping to sharpen their own skills and prove themselves superior to the one who’d become known throughout the world as the greatest. And while he’d met many a promising candidate over the years, he’d not met anyone who could match his skill level in a very, very long time.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The feeling, the sounds, the clashing of blades. There were few things in this world that Rayleigh enjoyed more than a good sword fight; especially one with a skilled opponent. The only thing that was even better than a skilled opponent, at least in Rayleigh’s eyes, was a promising one. One who was still learning, still perfecting their skill, and still required the strong but gentle hand of a guiding figure to push them forward in the direction they needed to go, testing their skills once they finally reached their destination. To not just see the promise they had, but also their determination to reach it and even surpass it. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Little else excited Rayleigh as much as the opportunity to see what the next generation of swordsmen had to offer, but none of this excitement meant that getting challenged on the street by a random teenager while out shopping wasn’t surprising... and weird. Which is saying a lot coming from the First Mate of Captain Gol D. Roger. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Rayleigh took in the kid standing in front of him. He stood tall and proud, eyes determined and focused. The sword at his side, though small and plain, was clearly well looked after, perhaps even better cared for than the kid himself. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The state of one’s sword said a lot about a swordsman, and this boy clearly cared very deeply for his.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Dracule Mihawk, huh?” Rayleigh asks, “You’re looking for a duel, I take it?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Mihawk nodded. “I will be the strongest swordsman in the world, but in order to achieve this title, I must fight and defeat you, the Dark King, who is said to be one of the greatest swordsmen in the world.” As the last words left Mihawk’s mouth, he drew his sword, ready to attack. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Rayleigh tilted his head in consideration, a small smile playing across his lips. With a decisive hum, the older man shifts the bag in his hands to his left shoulder and pulls a dagger out of his pocket. Though the blade was, in fact, razor sharp, it’s size and design made it appear more like a letter opener than a deadly weapon, a detail that didn’t seem to go over very well with Rayleigh’s young opponent.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Mihawk’s eyes widened in shock and confusion before anger finally took over, appearing both in his Voice and eyes as Rayleigh’s blatant underestimation of him is made more than clear. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Rayleigh grinned. “Now, now, don’t take this the wrong way. After all, I’m not a beast that goes all out when fighting a fledgling. Unfortunately, I don’t carry any smaller blades than this one.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Rayleigh barely had time to finish his sentence before Mihawk charged him, sword poised and ready to take his head. He was determined to prove to the Dark King that he shouldn’t be taken lightly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The look of surprise on Mihawk’s face when his attack is stopped by a mere dagger is nothing short of priceless. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Rayleigh laughs excitedly. “You’re swing is good, kid. I have to admit that you have impressive control for someone so young, and your strength only adds to the deadliness of your attack. Show me what else you can do.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Mihawk did not reply, but the grinding of his teeth and the look of fiery determination that flashed in the young boy's eyes at Rayleigh’s challenge said it all. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Their battle was a fierce one, even Rayleigh had to admit. Although the boy had yet to land anything close to a hit on him, the same could almost be said in reverse as well, as Rayleigh had only managed to give the kid a few slashes and nicks since the beginning of their duel, an impressive feat in and of itself. True to his words from earlier, the older man was holding back considerably so as not to hurt the young boy, but that didn’t mean he was having an easy time dealing with Mihawk’s endless stream of attacks.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The kid was good. Really good. Mihawk’s thrusts and parries displayed a level of precision and control that could only have been developed from days and weeks of endlessly grueling training, but unfortunately the boy still seemed to be lacking when it came to experience and strength, as his attacks, while dangerous in their accuracy, could not overcome even the most haphazard of Rayleigh’s blocks. Still, the boy had so much promise, and Rayleigh could practically feel it with each clang of their blades. His potential. His drive. His ambition. Rayleigh felt a thrill race up his spine as Mihawk continued to pour everything he had into each attack. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But alas, the little fledgling still has a long way to go. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As the duel progressed, Mihawk began showing greater and greater signs of exhaustion that began to taint the accuracy of his swings. Meanwhile Rayleigh danced effortlessly around the boy, not even breaking a sweat as he blocked every single one of Mihawk’s attacks with his small dagger (letter opener). Rayleigh could practically taste the frustration rolling off the kid. It was pretty clear from his technique that Mihawk had fought plenty of people in the past and had likely won rather easily, but this was not any other battle and Rayleigh was far above the majority of fighters, so a victory against someone as powerful and skilled as him wouldn't be won easily, if it was even won at all. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Despite the clear irritation etched across his face, Mihawk’s voice sang in determination and an almost childlike joy at the challenge he was presented with. The boy was frustrated, that much was clear, but there was no mistaking the absolute glee the boy felt over having his skills really and truly challenged by a worthy opponent, a sentiment that Rayleigh knew all too well. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>This little fledgling was clearly far too used to winning. He’d not been challenged in a long time, not like this, at least. His Voice cried out for victory, but it was a cry that would go unanswered given the speed at which the boy was losing his composure, both in his technique and his Voice. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Rayleigh couldn’t help but be amused by the boy’s clear frustration that the bag was still firmly held on Rayleigh’s shoulder. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The longer the battle progressed the more obvious it became that Mihawk had lost. The fight wasn’t over, Rayleigh doesn’t doubt that the young boy’s stubbornness has something to do with this, but his loss was imminent, and Mihawk knew it. The boy’s elegant and controlled movements were rapidly giving way to careless blunderings fueled by frustration and desperation. When compared to most people, Mihawk’s movements were still good, very good even, and the boy showed the kind of skill and control that Rayleigh was </span>
  <b>trying </b>
  <span>to teach Shanks. Even if that effort seemed to be in vain most days. But alas, his movements were not as good as they were before, and when faced against an opponent like Rayleigh, anything less than the best would only result in total defeat.   </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Rayleigh was sad to end the match so soon but he knew, and Mihawk knew, that this would be the last exchange before the victor was decided. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jumping back to break the deadlock of their blades Mihawk readied his sword, his muscles quivering from exertion but the fire in his eyes never dulling, burning brighter still even, as the boy prepared himself for his final attack.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Rayleigh tilted his head in curiosity. “Oh? What do we have here now?” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“If I lose, I will lose with everything I have.” Mihawk stated calmly and with a level of seriousness that would have seemed comical were it coming from anyone else.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Rayleigh grinned, the delight he felt toward the young swordsman almost impossible for him to hide. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Very well then. That is a sentiment I can respect and honor,” the older man says, resheathing his dagger and setting his bag off to the side. Turning his attention back to the boy, Rayleigh grasps the handle of his sword and slowly pulls the expertly crafted blade from its sheath, pointing it directly at Mihawk. “In that case, let us finish this Dracule Mihawk.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Mihawk nodded and pushed off the ground, leaving creaks in his wake as he raced towards Rayleigh with nothing less than the intent to kill. Despite his best efforts however, it would seem as though even his absolute best couldn’t hold a candle to the true stills of the Dark King.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Mihawk did not even have time to register that Rayleigh had moved until it was too late. The older man had swung his sword and moved past him with a level of speed that must have been inhuman. Mihawk hadn’t seen a thing. One moment the Dark King was in front of him, waiting for his incoming attack, and the next he was behind. The only indication that the older man had even done anything was the fact Mihawk’s blade had been brutally shattered into pieces, the largest of which having been flung into the air only to land tip down in the dirt just a few yards away. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Mihawk looked wordlessly, eyes wide in shock, at the broken blade of his sword, which now felt uncomfortably light in his hands. He had lost. His sword was broken. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Rayleigh turned to watch the little fledgling, taking in the boy’s body language. Mihawk couldn’t manage to keep all of the disappointment off his face, but after having dealt with the expressive Shanks for so long it was like looking at a stone statue. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Mihawk turned and faced Rayleigh. Looking him dead in the eye. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Rayleigh merely raised an eyebrow, an amused grin spreading across his lips as he wondered what the boy could be up to. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Mihawk gave a small grin as he spread his arms out beside him. “Scars on the back are a swordsman’s shame. If you wish to strike me down as consolation for your victory then so be it, but in return you are to show me what the full force of the Dark King feels like.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Rayleigh nodded. “Well spoken. But I don’t think we’ll have any scars today. I would hate to see such a promising fledgling lost before their time.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Mihawk barely had time to process the meaning behind Rayleigh’s words before he was hit with a wave of Conqueror's Haki that overwhelmed his tired mind and body like nothing he’s ever experienced before, instantly knocking the boy out cold. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Rayleigh caught him before he hit the ground, and without so much as another word the older man picked the young fledgling up, along with his bag and what he could of the broken sword, and began heading toward the ship. He figured he owed the kid a meal, he was far too skinny for Rayleigh’s liking, and a new sword, since he couldn’t just let a swordsman with this much skill wander around without a weapon. It only made sense to bring the boy back to the ship and get him fixed up before deciding his fate from there. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And who knows? Maybe Shanks and Buggy will end up with a new friend.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Brought to the Nest</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>New chapter. Enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>When Mihawk finally regained consciousness, the first thing that registered in his tired and overworked brain was the gentle swaying sensation that rocked him back and forth. It was a feeling he was all too familiar with, having been around ships his whole life, and although he’d never admit this it was a comforting feeling as well. One that reminded him of a simpler and happier time that the boy had long since given up trying to forget.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Contrary to his normal routine, Mihawk didn’t try to open his eyes, not yet anyways. For a brief moment the boy simply laid still and breathed, allowing himself to enjoy this small moment of comfort before beginning to take inventory of his body. A dull but mostly insignificant pain could be felt from some of the small cuts and nicks that he’d received in his latest battle with the Dark King, his muscles felt stiff and sore from how much he’d exerted himself in said battle, and his stomach was as empty as it always was. Oh, and he needed to relieve himself… quite badly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Despite this, Mihawk didn’t open his eyes, because while the swaying was a comforting feeling that his tired body could easily sink back to sleep with, the boy quickly realized that he had no idea where he was, only that it wasn’t any place he knew. It certainly wasn’t the ship he’d arrive on the island on, Mihawk knew that much. For one thing, he was in a bed, a stark contrast to the musty old hammock he’d been forced to sleep in on the last vessel he’d hopped on. Second, the air around him was so clean smelling that it had an almost alcohol-esque tinge to it, which Mihawk used to deduce that he was likely in the medbay of this mysterious ship. And as if all those observations weren’t enough, Mihawk quickly became aware of that fact that he was not alone in this medbay.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Somewhere in the distance off to his right were two people, watching him and talking somewhat quietly amongst themselves. With just a little effort, Mihawk found that he was just able to make out what was being said.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Think he’ll wake up soon?” The first person asks, their tone laced with boredom.</span>
  <span>
    <br/>
    <br/>
  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hmmm” came the lackluster response from the second person, who Mihawk assumes must not have been paying attention to the first person’s question, or perhaps just flat out ignored it.</span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Buuuuuggyyyyyy! Stop ignoring me! When do you think he’ll wake up?” The first person asks again, this time their voice taking on a louder and an annoyingly whiny tone that made Mihawk want to roll his eyes in irritation. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There’s a deep and long winded sigh followed by a new voice, presumably belonging to the second, much quieter person. “Why are you being so impatient? He’ll wake up when he wakes up and not a second before.” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>The first voice, The Annoying One, “How could I not be? Rayleigh brings back some random kid all of a sudden and looks so happy about it for some reason but hasn’t said a single thing about what happened or where he found him! Don’t you wanna know what happened?” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>The Second voice replies, “Not really. I honestly couldn’t care less about why Rayleigh brought this kid back or what he plans to do with him. On top of that, what makes you think our new ‘friend’ will be more willing to talk than Ray?” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>The Annoying one huffs. “Well, why wouldn’t he be?” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>Mihawk could practically feel the rolling of eyes coming from the second person. “Because he’s been awake and listening to us for the past 5 minutes but hasn’t said anything yet.” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“What?! He’s awake?!” The Annoying One blurts loudly.  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>Mihawk opened his eyes and sat up, turning to look in the direction of where he’d heard the two voices coming from, shocked that he’d been found out so easily. The sight that greeted him was that of two boys, younger than him, though not by much based on the looks of them. The first one, the Annoying One if Mihawk had to guess, was a redhead sporting a wide grin that practically split his face in half, and a slightly oversized straw hat perched on his head. The other boy, blue haired with a clown-like red nose and striking green eyes, sat thoughtfully, almost bored looking, with a thick book opened in front of him. The notebook and pen splayed open next to it suggested the boy might have been taking notes of some kind before his red haired compatriot had interrupted him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Speaking of the redhead, said boy grinned as he bounded up to Mihawk, sticking his hand out in front of him as he spoke. “Hi! I’m Shanks! Welcome to our ship and the land of the awake!” The boy greeted cheerfully and at a volume that made Mihawk cringe in annoyance as the boy jabbed a thumb behind him and continued speaking. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“This is my best friend Buggy. We’ve been waiting for you to wake up and tell us what happened between you and Rayleigh. He brought you back, slung over his shoulder like a bag of potatoes! And you were totally out of it! You’ve been asleep since yesterday. And Wilson has made you some food cause--” A hand suddenly covering Shanks’ mouth put an end to the never ending stream of words leaving the redhead’s mouth, of which Mihawk was incredibly grateful. The red haired one was… a bit much, though perhaps not quite as much as the sudden realization that the hand currently responsible for keeping Shanks quiet wasn’t attached to a body. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Buggy, the presumed owner of the disembodied hand if Mihawk had to guess, given the lack of said hand attached to the boy’s left wrist, glared at Shanks before looking back at Mihawk with a slightly guarded expression. “Our Ship’s Doctor, Crocus, put us in charge of keeping an eye on you a couple hours ago with orders to let you rest as long as possible. Sorry if this one woke you. He’ll only sit still, or quietly, for so long.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Mihawk nodded at the Blue Haired One, Buggy, before looking around. Something was off, but it took the young swordsman a moment to figure out what. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Suddenly Mihawk remembered. His sword. It had broken during the fight with the Dark King. That certainly couldn’t mean anything good now that he was on enemy territory surrounded by the Dark King’s eccentric entourage. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Mihawk looked back at the two other boys, unsure of how to feel about his “supervisors”. Shanks was still fighting to dislodge the dismembered hand from his mouth, which is probably the only reason Mihawk had had time to look around in quiet, meanwhile Buggy had resumed his earlier task of taking notes from the textbook he was reading from as though nothing were out of the ordinary. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Weirdos.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Where is… my sword?” Mihawk asked hesitantly, steering his attention back to a more important matter, although would never admit that part of his hesitation was from the thought of his lost blade. To lose it or break it wasn’t some small occurrence or an easily replaceable object. A blade was a swordsman's life and without it Mihawk was but a shadow of his former self. He could and would get a new one of course, after all his goal of becoming the strongest swordsman in the world would not be stopped by one broken blade, but even Mihawk would be lying if he said that the reality of losing his most prized possession, his trusted companion, didn’t hurt a considerable amount. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Here, drink this” Buggy says suddenly as his other disembodied hand all but thrusts a glass of water into Mihawk’s hands, starling the older teen ever so slightly. If it weren’t for the sudden realization of how thirsty he was, Mihawk would have commented on how rude it was to force things upon other people, but the glass of water looks cold and refreshing, so he decides to let it go and, with a silent hope that it wasn’t poisoned, take a drink.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Buggy waited patiently until Mihawk had finished the glass of water, which admittedly hadn’t taken very long, before speaking. “What’s left of your sword is on the table beside you. Ray said we weren’t allowed to touch it. I’m assuming it has something to do with that weird “swordsman’s code” that all you sword fighters all follow.” </span>
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  <span>Having finally yanked Buggy’s left hand from his mouth, Shanks chimes in  “It’s his sword Buggy! You don’t touch another Swordsman’s sword!” </span>
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  <span>Buggy rolled his eyes and sighed “Yes, Shanks. You’ve told me. Several times, now. Not that I understand it any better than I did the first time you told me.” </span>
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  <span>Shanks waved his hands around adamantly, “How can you not get it? It’s simple! Do you like people touching your bombs?” </span>
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  <span>Buggy raises an eyebrow “Shanks, that’s different and you know it. It’s for everyone’s safety. My bombs can be somewhat unpredictable and if someone were to touch one while it was still in an unstable condition it could kill us all.”</span>
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  <span>Shanks nods, “Well, that too. But still! It’s part of the Swordsman’s Code!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Mihawk listened to the two of them bicker, and picked up his sword, or what remained of it, at least. The sheath remained intact, as well as the hilt, but the blade was mostly gone, likely reduced to metal shards that weren’t worth picking up. Honestly, Mihawk was shocked that the Dark King had bothered picking up the scraps of his sword that remained at all. Then again, Mihawk supposed he could say the same thing regarding the Dark King’s decision to haul him back to his ship. What on earth did the older man want from him?</span>
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  <span>Mihawk wasn’t sure how long he stared at it before he heard Shanks ask, “You ok?” </span>
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  <span>The amber eyed teen looked over at the two boys. Both of them were watching him. The Annoying One with an annoyingly sympathetic look spread across his face, and the Blue Haired One with a cautious and guarded expression. </span>
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  <span>Mihawk preferred the Blue Haired One. He didn’t need sympathy from anyone. He didn’t. He didn’t….</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Mihawk swallowed down the lump in his throat before speaking. “I lost, but it seems as though I will live to see another day. And so long as air passes through my lungs, so too shall I pass through this difficult obstacle that has been presented before me.” </span>
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  <span>Buggy scowled. “This is another one of those Swordsman’s Code things isn’t it?” </span>
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  <span>Mihawk looked over at Buggy, “And so what if it is?” </span>
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  <span>Buggy rolled his eyes, scrunching up his red nose in annoyance at the injured swordsman, “Look, I’m a scientist, so don’t take my lack of knowledge on your code the wrong way, but I really don’t get why you seem disappointed by it. Losing is part of life. You lose, you get better, you come back, and then you kick the other person’s ass back to Timbuktu, or wherever the hell they came from. At least if they’re someone like Ray. He’s not the kind to kill his opponents just because they lost. That’s not his thing.” </span>
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  <span>Shanks nods, bouncing in his seat, “Yeah! Especially not to his ‘fledgling’!” </span>
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  <span>Mihawk glances at the red haired kid “Fledgling?” </span>
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  <span>Shanks nods again “Yep! That’s what Ray kept calling you. His Fledgling!” </span>
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  <span>Mihawk looked confused for a brief moment, but it was quickly replaced with defiant anger. “My name is NOT fledgling. It’s Dracule Mihawk.” Mihawk drew himself up to his full height, which might have been impressive if he wasn’t still standing on the bed, wrapped up in bandages, in need of a bath, and probably a good meal or 6. Also, Mihawk still needed to relieve himself, but there was no way in HELL he was going to ask the two kids where the facilities were. Nope. Not a chance in hell.</span>
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  <span>Shanks grinned as he returned to his original seat next to Buggy. “Nice to meet you Mihawk! As I said earlier, I’m Shanks, and this is Buggy! Welcome to the Oro Jackson! Home of the greatest pirates in all the Seas, the Roger Pirates!” Shanks ended his speech by throwing his arms out wide with a huge grin on his face. Buggy, likely used to this kind of behavior from the redhead, had moved his torso out of the way of his companion’s arms, while his lower half stayed put. </span>
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  <span>Mihawk blinked at the two boys, only years of practice helping him keep his face blank and unresponsive despite the slightly unnerving sight before him. The young teen huffed a sign of annoyance before sitting back down on the bed, refusing to admit even to himself that it was because he’d grown quite dizzy from the short time he spent standing.</span>
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  <span>Shanks’ grin faded quickly at the older boy’s lackluster response. “I think this is the part where you are supposed to be impressed.” </span>
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  <span>Mihawk raises an eyebrow and blandly asks, “Why?” </span>
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  <span>“Because! This is the greatest ship ever and you’re on it! And I think that’s pretty cool!” </span>
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  <span>Mihawk stared silently. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Aw come on! Give me something! Even Buggy gives me more than just a silent stare!” </span>
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  <span>Mihawk blinks. </span>
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  <span>“That is NOT what I meant!” </span>
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  <span>Buggy snorts, his legs moving to rejoin the rest of him, as he walks toward one of the many cabinets that lined the walls of the room they were all in, jabbing a thumb behind him. “There’s a bathroom through that door, in case you need it.” </span>
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  <span>Mihawk glances at the door located on the same wall as his bed before looking back at Buggy. “A swordsman doesn’t show his back to an enemy.” </span>
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  <span>Shanks pouts. “But we aren’t enemies.” </span>
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  <span>Mihawk moves his gaze to Shanks. “We’re not friends either.”</span>
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  <span>Buggy rolls his eyes, muttering something about sword obsessed idiots before speaking, “Listen, I get the whole ‘not wanting to put yourself in a vulnerable situation when you clearly don’t trust us’, I really do, but if we were gonna do anything bad to you, we’d have already done it by now, so go. We’ll even move so you can keep an eye on us and then you won’t turn your back? Does that work?” </span>
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  <span>Mihawk stares silently at the blue haired boy, nodding curtly when he can find no fault in his logic. </span>
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  <span>Mihawk will never admit how stiff he was, nor will he comment on how long it took him to actually get up, but he was grateful that the blue haired one kept his red haired companion from helping or saying anything. Mihawk’s pride could only take so much. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>After finally limping his way to the restroom and going about his much needed business, Mihawk took a moment to look at himself in the bathroom’s mirror. Mihawk wasn’t a vain person by any means, but even he had to admit he looked horrible. It had been a long time since he’d seen his reflect in anything besides his sword or a river. He looked in bad shape, but it was only a sign that he had survived his encounter and would live to grow even stronger. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A knock on the door broke Mihawk’s staring contest with his reflection. Buggy’s voice filtered through the dark wood. “Might want to hurry. Shanks left to go let the others know that you’re awake, so it won’t be long before the adults come to check up on you.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Mihawk quickly cleaned himself up before exiting the bathroom. He could stand many things but being caught in the bathroom by strangers or the Dark King was not one of them. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>By the time Shanks returned, with the promised ‘others’ in tow, Buggy and Mihawk were enjoying a calm moment of silence; Mihawk staring at the walk meditating (sleeping with his eyes open) and Buggy reading (pretending not to notice that Mihawk was spacing out). </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Both looked up at the Red Hair’s loud entrance. </span>
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  <span>“See! Told you he was awake!” Shanks exclaimed, looking back at the people following him in excitement. </span>
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  <span>The first person to enter was an older man with a flower-like adjournment on the back of his head. Mihawk wasn’t sure why there was a flower on his head, but he supposed if a boy could have a red nose, then a person could have a flower on their head. He wasn’t going to question it. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The Flower Head Man walked up to Mihawk briskly and began looking him over, poking and prodding at various parts of his body without so much as a warning. A grumble informed Mihawk just how unhappy the man was, though about what, Mihawk is mostly unsure.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You look only slightly better now that you’re awake. You know you have at least 3 separate infections, right kid? And you are severely underweight! Who the hell let you get into this kind of condition? Where’s your kin?” </span>
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  <span>Mihawk calmly replied, “I was not aware of the infections, and it is difficult to find food that is not rotten and I refuse to steal. As for your last question, I have no kin, or at least none that I care to associate with.” </span>
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  <span>Flower Head Man raises an eyebrow and scowls down at his patient. “Huh. Explains some things.” </span>
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  <span>Mihawk wasn’t sure what things his statements explained, aside from the obvious, however, the Flower Headed Man seems satisfied with his explanation. Mostly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Mihawk took the following moment of silence to assess who else had joined them in the medbay. One of them was the Dark King himself, carrying two swords, one in his hand and one tied at his waist, The other was a man in a vibrate red coat, a black mustache, and a large grin on his face. It took Mihawk a moment to place him but he soon recognized the man’s familiar appearance. It was Gold Roger, Captain of the Roger Pirates. </span>
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  <span>Mihawk’s attention was drawn back to Rayleigh when he started speaking. “Good to see you’re awake again, Fledgling.” </span>
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  <span>Mihawk scowled. “I am not a Fledgling.” </span>
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  <span>Rayleigh raised an eyebrow with a small grin. “But you aren’t a master yet either, so Fledgling you shall remain for now.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Mihawk’s response was interrupted by the Flower Head Man examining him with a stethoscope, muttering in what Mihawk could only guess was medical jargon… or a foreign language. Either was possible. </span>
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  <span>Attempts to escape the examination proved futile, as Mihawk didn’t have the strength or apparently the determination to fend off the onslaught of fingers prodding at his neck, ribs, and joints. Mihawk did not think that reflected on how bad off he was, just showed his lack of training. </span>
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  <span>Roger stepped forward and grinned. “So, you finally join us in the land of the living! Welcome to the Oro Jackson, Ray here tells me your name is Mihawk. I’m the captain of this ship, my name’s Roger, you’ve met Ray, of course, and that fat fuck over there our doctor, Crocus”.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Fuck off, Roger.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>So, Flower Head Man has a name after all? Wait... wasn’t a Crocus a flower? Was the flower on his head a Crocus?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh and I’m sure Shanks and Buggy have already introduced themselves to you” Roger continues, to which Shanks nods happily. </span>
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  <span>Mihawk realized in that moment that Shanks and Roger had very similar energy. This was too much. Two annoying ones were too much. Mihawk decided that the Annoying One and Captain Energy were too much. </span>
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  <span>Ray rolls his eyes, smiling fondly “How do you feel, Fledgling?” </span>
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  <span>Mihawk considers his answer for a moment. Honestly he felt so much better after going to the bathroom. It definitely helped to have moved a little, though he wasn’t going to tell the Dark King that. </span>
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  <span>“I am well” the young teen responds. </span>
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  <span>Flower Head Man-er, Crocus, snorts. “Well? Well? Kid, you and I are going to discuss the definition of ‘well’! ‘Well’ is not underweight, ‘well’ is not having enough scraps and bruises to make me consider tracking down every person who gave you any of them and kicking their asses, ‘well’ is NOT having 3 separate infections that will ALL require antibiotic treatment to sort out!” </span>
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  <span>Mihawk nodded thoughtfully “I suppose that is true, but I am able to move and am alive, therefore I am well.” </span>
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  <span>Flower Hea-Crocus growled and looked at Roger and Rayleigh. “He is NOT leaving my medbay until I say he is ok to leave it. End of discussion.” He then turns to look at Buggy and Shanks “Am I understood?” </span>
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  <span>Buggy shrugged his shoulders in disinterest while Shanks pouted. “But what’s he going to do down here all day?” </span>
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  <span>Crocus folds his arms and fixes the redhead with a stern look. “What he needs to do. Rest and recover.” </span>
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  <span>Mihawk doesn’t think he’s seen anyone droop like the Annoying One just did. It was impressive. And foolish. Showing that much emotion would only get one in trouble. “I am well enou-” </span>
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  <span>Flower Head Man spun and pinned Mihawk with a glare, “You are not well enough to do anything except rest, eat, and recover! I am the doctor, not you. Here, my word is Law! Do you understand?” </span>
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  <span>Roger nods sagely. “You’ve lost this one, kid.” </span>
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  <span>Mihawk sighs and gets ready to argue when the Dark King interrupts. “Fledgling, a swordsman knows his limits. He knows when to push and when to rest. This is one of those times to rest. Besides, you lost to me. I claim my Victory, and my Victory is to see you healed and fed until you are well again. Fully well again.” </span>
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  <span>Mihawk narrowed his eyes at the Dark King “And after that?” </span>
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  <span>Ray shrugs nonchalantly with a small grin on his face. “We’ll see.” </span>
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  <span>Captain Energy looks between the two “‘We’ll See’? We’ll see? What does that mean? Ray-” </span>
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  <span>Mihawk is sure the Dark King used some sort of magic on Captain Energy to make him stop talking. All he did was look at him. Maybe The Dark King will teach him how to do that. It would certainly be a valuable skill. Especially since it seemed to work so well. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Captain Energy stopped and pouted. Annoying One and Captain Energy must be related, Mihawk was sure of it. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Flower Head Man held out a glass of water and a handful of pills. “Take these. Food will be coming soon.” Mihawk took the glass of water but eyed the pills warrily. He wasn’t going to ingest anything if he didn’t know what it was. He’d done that once before, so he knew from experience that the consequences were not worth the risk. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Buggy rolled his eyes and got up from his seat, making his way over to Mihawk and beginning to point at each pill. “This one is for pain, this one is an antibiotic for the infections, this one is to help your muscles feel better, this one is a muscle relaxant, and that one is to help you sleep.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Mihawk gave him a nod of thanks and fished out the antibiotic, taking only that one while leaving the rest behind. </span>
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  <span>Flower Head Man glared “Hey, Kid. You forgot the rest of your medication.” </span>
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  <span>Mihawk glared back. “My pain isn’t that bad enough to require painkillers and I will not take a muscle relaxant and be made helpless to defend myself.” </span>
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  <span>“And the one to help your muscles feel better?” asked the Dark King. </span>
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  <span>Because it was the Dark King himself to ask, Mihawk answered, “I am not sure what is meant by ‘better’.”</span>
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  <span>Flower Head Man sighs, “It’s a type of multivitamin. You need it. Because of how severely underweight you are, your body has started to eat your muscles to survive. All of these pills together with a lot of food will help you get better and actually start to build muscle. I’m a doctor, I want you to get better and the medicine I prescribe you will only help achieve that goal.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Mihawk glances at the Doctor, only to be distracted when a slightly overweight, older man comes into the room carrying a tray. Mihawk hadn’t seen anyone before so perfectly fit the idea of Grandfather.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Wilson!” Roger exclaims. “‘Bout time you got down here with some food.”</span>
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  <span>“Ay, an’ it’s lookin’ like I arrived just in the nick o’ time. I made sure to cook up a nice healthy, protein packed meal fer our ‘special guest’. Take yur pills with it, and ye’ll be right as rain in no time.” </span>
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  <span>‘Ah, so this man is the cook they were mentioning earlier’ Mihawk said to himself as he looked down at the meal tray set over his lap. It was a bowl of steaming stew that smelled absolutely divine. His weak and treacherous stomach gave a loud growling demand to be filled with the meal. </span>
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  <span>Grandfather Cook gave a boisterous laugh. “Well lad, yur stomach seems to like what ya got, so might as well eat up, and there’s plenty more where that came from, too, if ye’d like.” </span>
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  <span>Flower Head Man holds the pills out once again, clearly wanting Mihawk to take them before he begins eating. </span>
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  <span>Mihawk glares at the pills in indignant defiance, even as his stomach gives another growl. </span>
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  <span>Flower Head Man sighs “I’ll agree to not have you take the muscle relaxant, but you need the others.” </span>
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  <span>“Why must I do anything you say? This might be your domain but I was brought here against my will and I have no intention of naively subjecting myself to whatever-”</span>
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  <span>“Mihawk.” </span>
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  <span>Mihawk looked over in surprise when the Dark King called his name, clearly having not expected the older man to address him in such a direct manner. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The older man smiles warmly at him as he speaks. “Take the medicine, Fledgeling. I swear on my sword no harm will come to you while you are in our care.” </span>
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  <span>Roger nods “I, as the Captain of this ship, second it.”   </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Mihawk wasn’t sure about a Captain’s word, Captains can lie, he’s seen it before plenty of times, but the Dark King had sworn on his sword. No true swordsman would break an oath made on their sword, and the Dark King was one of the truest swordsmen out there, so maybe, just this once, he’d allow his guard to drop every so slightly, if only at the request of the Dark King. So with a nod and a deep breath, Mihawk proceeded to take everything but the muscle relaxant. Then he ate. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The young teen tried his best to eat his meal slowly, no need to let them know just how hungry he was. Or how good the food was, because it was the best food Mihawk had had in a long time. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Once Mihawk was finished, Grandfather Cook nodded and took the bowl and tray away, leaving the medbay without another word. Flower Head Man gave him another examination. Really, how many times was the doctor going to examine him? Did he really change that much in so short a time? </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Mihawk watched out of the corner of his eye as Captain Energy and the Dark King spoke softly, with Annoying One and Clown Nose listening in. He tried to hear what they were saying, but they were speaking too quietly for him to make anything out, not to mention that having a stomach full of warm food and a soft bed made one feel relaxed and not entirely focused on their surroundings. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But Mihawk couldn’t sleep. Not here. Not now. He was on a strange ship, surrounded by even stranger people, and he still wasn’t entirely sure that he was safe here either, even if the Dark King himself had sworn he was safe. Mihawk wasn’t questioning the Dark King’s word, but… he was without a sword. He was defenseless. So even if the Dark King swore that he’d be safe from anyone on the ship, what if the ship was invaded in the night and Mihawk had no way to defend himself from the enemy? What would he do then?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span> The Dark King then looked over and grinned at Mihawk. The young teen tensed as the Dark King walked towards him and held out the sword he’d been holding in his hand. </span>
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  <span>“Here, take this. I Lend to you this sword for the duration of your stay on this ship. May it defend you well and put your mind at ease” The Dark King said, patiently held the sword out until Mihawk took it. The sword had a good weight and a decent size. Drawing it just enough to see the blade, Mihawk saw that it was a well-taken-care-of blade as well. </span>
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  <span>Mihawk looked up at the Dark King and said, “I Accept this sword.” </span>
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  <span>The Dark King nodded with a smile. “Then get some rest, fledgling.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Mihawk nodded, clutching his new sword to his chest as Crocus began ushering people out of the medbay so the young teen could get some rest. Roger and the others complied without question. They knew who ruled the Medbay.</span>
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  <span>Outside in the hall, Shanks looks up at the two adults. “Well?!” He asks excitedly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh boy, here we go” Buggy grumbles under his breath as he tucks his textbook and notebook under his arm, already knowing where this conversation was going.</span>
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  <span>Rayleigh raises a questioning eyebrow. “Well, what?”</span>
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  <span>“Are we keeping him?!” The redhead continues, practically bouncing up and down as his gaze shifts between Roger and Rayleigh.</span>
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  <span>Rogers grins mischievously as his gaze also shifts to lock on to his first mate. “Ya Ray, are we keeping him? Shall you finally have a son to spoil and raise? Will you be joining me in fatherhood after all this time?” </span>
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  <span>Buggy and Ray shared a brief look as Roger and Shanks stared back at them with matching energetic grins. </span>
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  <span>Rayleigh sighed. “Roger, that’s not how this works. As a swords-” </span>
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  <span>Rogers blew a raspberry at this first mate. “Oh stuff it Rayleigh, I’ve known you too long for you to be pulling that shit. You want to keep the kid! I can practically see it in your eyes. Just admit you want to adopt him and be done with it so we can start making room for the kid.”</span>
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  <span>“Is there even any room for him?” Buggy pondered doubtfully. “Our room is full enough as it is with just three people and now you’re gonna try and cram a fourth one in there?”</span>
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  <span>“Shut up, Buggy, of course there’s room for him. We’ll just have to move some stuff around is all” Shanks beamed. “Maybe if we moved your book collection to the library we could put another hammock by the wall.”</span>
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  <span>“Touch a single one of my books and I’ll break your fingers off.”</span>
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  <span>Rayleigh sighs, ignoring the two arguing boys as he turns his attention back to Roger. “Captain…” </span>
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  <span>“What? You’re keeping him. It's already been decided so we might as well get ready to move him into the boys’ room. Shanks, Buggy go get your room ready, I don’t care what you have to do to fit another hammock in there, just do it. And get Bullet to help!” Roger added as the two boys quickly disappeared to complete their errand, Shanks cheering in childish glee while Buggy yelled at Shanks not to touch any of his books if the redhead knew what was good for him.</span>
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  <span>“We really need to do something about the boys’ room. They’re getting too big to all share one small room, especially if Mihawk is gonna be joining them once Crocus let's him loose from the medbay. Think we could knock down some walls to give them more space?” </span>
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  <span>Rayleigh let out an exasperated sigh. “Captain” the blonde repeats, fixing his captain with a harsh glare. </span>
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  <span>Roger grins at his first mate. “Come on, Ray, don’t give me that look. The kid’s staying. You know it, I know it, we all know it, and no matter how much you deny it, I know that you want him to stay too. So stop being such a stick in the much and join me in the glory that is fatherhood!” </span>
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  <span>“I’m not going to win this am I?” Rayleigh grumbles, though seemingly more to himself than anyone else.</span>
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  <span>“Nope” Roger beams, clapping Rayleigh on the shoulder, “but something tells me you don’t mind losing this argument all that much.”</span>
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  <span>“And what happens when the kid says no?” Rayleigh huffs.</span>
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  <span>Roger looked at Rayleigh, his eyes dancing with mirth, and a small smirk on his face. “Rayleigh, that kid tracked you down from god knows where because he wanted to fight you, and then after you kicked his ass, instead of leaving him face down in the dirt, you brought him back to our ship and gave him medical attention and a sword. Are you honestly going to tell me you aren’t going to adopt him after all that? Doesn’t Fledgeling basically mean ‘son’ in swordsmen speak?” </span>
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  <span>Rayleigh “Of course I brought the kid back, he was hurt and unconscious and severely underweight. I couldn’t just leave him there, what kind of asshole do you take me for?” </span>
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  <span>Roger smiles, knowing that if it were someone else they would have left the kid to fend for himself. Not Rayleigh though. Ray brought him back and gave him a sword to make the kid feel comforted. Then he swore to Mihawk on his own sword that the kid was safe and offered him comforting words. Rayleigh might not want to admit it but he was well on his way to accepting this kid as his son. Or Fledgling if that would make Rayleigh feel better about the whole situation. </span>
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  <span>Roger chuckles “Just ask him already, then. I will happily welcome my First Mate’s child into the ranks of our dysfunctional little family!” </span>
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  <span>Rayleigh sighs once more, but the look on his face tells Roger he’s already accepted his fate.</span>
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  <span>“Welcome to Fatherhood, Ray!” </span>
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  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>This chapter is a little later than i intended it to be but im pretty happy with it in the end so i hope you all enjoy it!!! Let me know what you think of it in the comments below and i hope to see you all soon for chapter 3. Bye!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. A Fledgling or a Son: Is there any difference?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>New chapter. Enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"There will be no running, no jumping, no sliding around, no sneaking, no climbing, and absolutely positively no strenuous activity of any kind until I explicitly say that it is allowed. Do I make myself clear?"</p><p> </p><p>If anyone were to ask, Mihawk wouldn’t exactly say that he glared at Flower Head Doctor, after all, one does not glare at a person when they have spent so much time and energy taking care of you.That's just rude, and swordsmen should never be rude. </p><p> </p><p>Doesn't mean he has to like being treated like a child, though. </p><p> </p><p>"Why would I bother training at all if I can’t even put my full effort into it? Training can be stressful on the body, true, but I have already lost far too much time that could have otherwise been spent-" </p><p> </p><p>“Enough,” Crocus huffed, and Mihawk swore the flower on his head fluffed out as he spoke. "Mihawk, you’re still recovering. A week in the medbay doesn’t make everything 100%, even if you technically feel better and, compared to when you first showed up, are technically doing much better. Your injuries haven’t fully healed yet and I’m still trying to get rid of that goddamn ear infection you came in with. You’re a long way off from being fully recovered and so until you reach that point, you need more rest. I agreed that you’re well enough to have some time to get up and do some LIGHT exercise but that's it! Nothing. Else." </p><p> </p><p>Mihawk opens his mouth to counter but finds a finger pointed in his face before any words come out. "My definition of light," The doctor growled, somehow knowing exactly what the young teen was about to say before he could even say it himself.</p><p> </p><p>An indignant pout spreads across the raven haired teens face. “And if I don’t?”<br/><br/>Crocus smirks as he turns back to the set of beakers and chemicals he’d been working with before Mihawk had raised complaints about wanting to go train. “Then I’ll just ground you to the medbay until you’re fully healed and go find Shanks to keep you company while you rest.” </p><p> </p><p>Mihawk instantly stiffened and gulped nervously. Crocus had struck a weak point and the older man knew it. </p><p> </p><p>Crocus had arbitrarily delegated Shanks as Mihawk’s minder one night earlier in the week so that the good doctor could go get dinner without worrying about whether Mihawk was trying to defy his resting orders or not. Although his plan had worked out successfully, as Shanks had done a marvelous job keeping Mihawk from so much as setting one toe out of the bed, save to go to the restroom of course, it did not take a genius to notice that Mihawk could not have enjoyed the 45 minutes he spent stuck with Shanks any less even if he tried. </p><p> </p><p>Mihawk shudders as he recalls how awful every excruciating second of that exchange had been. The Annoying One just… would not stop talking. No matter how obvious Mihawk had made it that he was not interested in anything the redhead had to say, Shanks somehow managed to either miss or ignore the older teen’s cold and detached disposition for the entire time Crocus was gone. Mihawk was forced to listen as Shanks talked on and on about whatever stray thought happened to cross the younger boy’s mind as he continued to torture Mihawk with his irritating presence. </p><p> </p><p>Any plans Mihawk had of not listening to Flower Head Doctor were quickly thrown out the metaphorical window. The Rogers’ doctor didn’t make empty threats, so unless Mihawk wanted to not only lose more precious training time, but also be stuck with the most annoying person on this ship all the while, he’d better make sure he doesn’t give said doctor any reason to punish him for disobeying orders. </p><p> </p><p>Mihawk took a deep breath and reluctantly nodded, “Very well. I will only do “light” exercises.”</p><p> </p><p>Crocus nods smuggly, “Good, I’m glad we could reach an agreement. You’re free to go, but I want you back here by dinner time and it's right back to resting after that.” </p><p> </p><p>Mihawk did not grace that last order with a response, likely hoping that Crocus would forget about it by the time dinner rolled around, in favor of hightailing it out of the medbay at an only barely less than desperate rate. He didn’t, however, miss Crocus’ chuckle, which only served to deepen the indignant scowl on the teen’s face as he ran down the hall.</p><p> </p><p>By some miracle, Mihawk made it to the main deck without colliding into anyone else, something the teen was incredibly thankful for, especially considering that he’d yet to meet most of the other Roger pirates, and therefore had no idea how he should best interact with them. Ignoring them had worked out in his favor thus far, so why bother changing that tactic up now? </p><p> </p><p>Walking out into the sun and breeze, feeling the sway of the ship, and knowing there wasn’t land anywhere nearby filled the raven haired teen with a deep feeling of peace and tranquility. Mihakw loved it. This was the absolute perfect environment to get some training done. </p><p> </p><p>The Rogers had set sail little more than a few days ago, and, for a variety of reasons, Mihawk had agreed to go with them. Chief amongst them was the fact that he wanted a rematch with the Dark King. </p><p> </p><p>The other was Crocus threatening to handcuff him to the bed if he so much as stepped one foot off the ship without his express permission. But that’s a story for another day.</p><p> </p><p>Rayleigh had stopped by the medbay several times to see him throughout the past week, mostly just to talk and see how he was feeling. Mihawk had definitely been surprised when Rayleigh had raised no argument to Crocus’ insistence that Mihawk stay until he was fully recovered. Mihawk hadn’t expected Rayleigh to kick him out once he was feeling better necessarily, but a part of the teen hadn't expected the Dark King to look so jovial at the fact that he was staying either.     </p><p> </p><p>Mihawk had agreed to stay for the time being since he didn’t have anywhere else to go, and traveling with the Dark King himself was too much of a golden opportunity to pass up, though the amount of time he was being forced to spend resting in the medbay certainly wasn’t helping him take advantage of said golden opportunity. </p><p> </p><p>Most of the time it had just been small talk, but occasionally the Dark King would stick around for longer than normal and talk to Mihawk about his training. Mihawk had enjoyed those talks, as short as they were. First Mates were busy men apparently, so Mihawk took what time the Dark King offered him. </p><p> </p><p>For now though, Mihawk decided that he would enjoy the sun and good weather while he was still permitted to be outside the medbay. A warm sun, a cool breeze, and some time to train in peace and quiet. What more could a swordsman desire? </p><p> </p><p>After a round of simple stretches to limber up his stiff and sore body, Mihawk drew the sword that had been lent to him by the Dark King himself, no less, taking a moment to twist and turn the weapon in his hand, trying to figure out the best way to handle it as to draw out its full potential. </p><p> </p><p>A few practice swings later and Mihawk was definitely feeling how swore he was. The tightness in his muscles from disuse was a feeling he wasn’t familiar with, more used to the aching burn of overuse rather than this alternative. He’d been sitting for far too long, and as far as he was concerned, he had a lot of catching up to do. The only thing holding him back from going all out like he wanted to was Flower Head Doctor’s threat. Mihawk had already tested one of the doctor’s threats earlier in the week, and being left alone with the Annoying One “under supervision” for a second time, was more than Mihawk could handle. So for now, just some light exercises, a chance to work on his technique rather than his strength as a means of getting limbered up again. Yes, that will work for now. </p><p> </p><p>--------------------------</p><p> </p><p>Meanwhile, elsewhere on the Oro Jackson, Roger has managed to corner Rayleigh while the blonde was busy going over some paperwork, an impish grin on his face as he all but drapes himself over his best friend.</p><p> </p><p>“So how’s your son doing?” The raven haired man asks, either oblivious to, or outright ignoring, the irritated huff Rayleigh let's out.</p><p> </p><p>“He’s doing fine. Still not my son, though, no matter how much you seem to think so.” </p><p> </p><p>“Yes he is, you’re just too stubborn to admit it. Has Crocus released him from the medbay?” </p><p> </p><p>“Last I checked Crocus had plans to let him loose on “temporary leave” as a reward for his good behavior these past few days. Probably gave him some strict instructions to not over do it, though.” </p><p> </p><p>“Think he’s obeying?” </p><p> </p><p>“Crocus knows his weaknesses now, and Mihawk is a smart kid, so I’m sure he knows what he’s doing.” </p><p> </p><p>Roger gives Rayleigh a side glance. “I think I heard from Spencer that he’s up on the main deck. We could go check up on him. I’m sure he’d love to have the Dark King himself oversee his training. Not to mention that you haven’t checked on your fledgling all day.”</p><p> </p><p>Rayleigh rolled his eyes. “You say that as though I’ve barely left his side. Unlike you, I actually have responsibilities to carry out so I'll have you know that I’ve only been able to check up on him a few times. That’s hardly often enough to warrant the bullshit you’re spewing.” </p><p> </p><p>“Oh please, you’ve visited that medbay at least 7 times a day for the last week to check in on the kid. What's your definition of often?”<br/><br/></p><p>“I was only making sure the kid was healing properly.” </p><p> </p><p>“Oh come on Rayleigh, Just admit he’s your son so we can move on already, this is starting to not be funny anymore.”</p><p> </p><p>Rayleigh huffed in annoyance and shook Roger off, storming out of the room. “Whatever, I have better things to do than entertain you right now, why don’t you go bother your own children instead?”</p><p> </p><p>“Oh, so you admit that Mihawk is your child, then?” Roger calls down the hall, immediately breaking out into a loud burst of laughter as he makes his way down the opposite end of the hall, likely on his way to do just as Rayleigh recommended, and go find Shanks and Buggy for some quality mid-afternoon entertainment. </p><p> </p><p>Rayleigh would have glared at his Captain, Best Friend, and Biggest Annoyance if he wasn’t already on his way to go do better things, like check in with Mihawk on the main deck. </p><p> </p><p>--------------------------</p><p> </p><p>Mihawk knew the moment the Dark King started watching him. He wasn’t sure how he knew; perhaps he sensed it, or heard it. It never really made sense to Mihawk how that all worked. All he knew was that he was being watched, and the person watching him was none other than the Dark King himself. And if that meant Mihawk put a little more care into looking impressive for the greatest swordsman in the world, well that was no one’s business but his own. </p><p> </p><p>Rayleigh chuckled softly. He could Hear the kid’s Voice, along with his desire to look impressive. To be noticed. To be acknowledged.</p><p> </p><p>“Relax Fledgling. Tensing your muscles during basic exercise won’t do you any good.” </p><p> </p><p>Mihawk barely flinched at the obvious piece of advice and immediately allowed his upper body to relax, only continuing on with the basic motions once the tension had fully eased from his shoulders. </p><p> </p><p>Rayleigh nodded in silent approval at the boy’s swiftness to correct his form. Despite knowing that Mihawk still wasn’t quite ready for a full on spar just yet, the blonde would be lying if he said he wasn’t aching to have Shanks and Mihawk spar against one another at some point. Despite being a fun and enthusiastic student to work with, Shanks still lacked many of the basic foundational techniques and precise motion control that Mihawk has clearly already mastered to a terrifying degree. Although Shanks might have the upper hand in terms of overall bodily strength, having successfully kept up with the rigorous training regimens that Roger and Rayleigh have been putting him through recently, along with a solid 7 years of Wilson pumping him full of protein and vitamin packed meals that have only served to further bulk up his rapidly growing body, Mihawk is, without a single doubt, lightyears ahead of the redhead in terms of everything else to do with swordsmanship. So with that in mind, perhaps setting the two boys up for a spar, one that Rayleigh feels he already knows the winner of, should help light a fire under Shanks’ butt and show him that having overwhelming strength isn’t the end-all-be-all of being a powerful swordsman. </p><p> </p><p>Rayleigh was certain that having someone so close to Shanks in age, but so much more advanced than him, will only serve to fuel the redhead to work harder and actually try to master the basics that Rayleigh has been trying to beat into his head for the better part of 2 years now. It had potential to be quite a match up, and Shanks did always love a good challenge, even if it ended in his loss. </p><p> </p><p>Then again, the more Rayleigh thought about it, the more he realized that Shanks wasn’t the only one who would benefit from sparring with Mihawk. Bullet, despite the impressive amount of strength he possessed for a 16-year-old and the admirable go-all-out attitude he brought into all his fights, had immense trouble fighting against opponents who didn’t rely solely on strength and sheer force of will alone, a fact that has been made more than clear in just about every single sparring match the blonde teen has ever had with the absolute enigma that is Buggy. So while Rayleigh wouldn’t exactly say that Bullet was “bad” at fighting sword fighters necessarily, he definitely wouldn’t go as far as to say that he was good at it either. Having a more skillful and controlled swordsman like Mihawk around should give Bullet plenty of opportunities to learn a thing or two about fighting against opponents that rely on technique more than strength alone. It’ll be a good learning lesson for the stubborn, hotheaded teen.</p><p> </p><p>A curious look spreads onto Rayleigh’s face as his train of thought naturally circles back to his final and most unpredictably volatile nephew, as well as… whatever the fuck one might describe that kid’s crazy ass fighting style as. Of the three, Buggy is definitely the one Rayleigh expects Mihawk to have the most trouble with, though this is mostly because Buggy is the one that everyone on board the Oro Jackson tends to have the most trouble dealing with during training.</p><p> </p><p>If Rayleigh were to have to find words to describe the way Buggy fights, a few that would immediately come to mind would be: strategic, calculating, lightning fast, overwhelming, sharp, precise, and, in the words of Roger himself,</p><p> </p><p>“FUCKING EXPLOSIVE AS ALL HELL!”</p><p> </p><p>Rayleigh chuckles at the now funny memory of Roger harshly scolding Buggy after the blue haired boy decided to bring a new set of explosives he wanted to test out into a fight they had with the Whitebeard pirates just over 6 months ago. Apparently the particular kind of bombs Buggy had cooked up this time around were, in theory, supposed to act more like a cross between a flash grenade and a smoke bomb. The bright light was meant to be a distraction that blinded the enemy for a short time, effectively hiding the pungent bright pink anesthetic powder that the bomb released once set off. Buggy had hoped that the bomb would act as a nonlethal way of incapacitating large crowds of people without using any kind of violent force, to be used against rowdy civilians or to provide a quick and effective means of escaping from unfavorable situations. </p><p> </p><p>Although Rayleigh didn’t understand chemistry to anywhere near the same degree as their resident boy genius, he understood enough to gather that the particular chemicals Buggy had chosen to use in creating the flash part of the bomb, while logically the best choice as they would produce the strongest light source and therefore the longest time for the anesthetic to spread and be inhaled by the enemy, had reacted unexpectedly with the anesthetic powder once the charge went off, creating a massive fiery explosion that resulted in structurally minor, but aesthetically catastrophic damage to both The Moby Dick AND The Oro Jackson.</p><p> </p><p>Although thankfully nobody was injured in the sudden explosion, poor Buggy had been nothing short of a sobbing mess when he realized that he’d accidentally hurt Oro and Moby, though funnily enough seeing Buggy as distressed as he was did more to throw the two resident klabautermanner into a bonafide panic than did the fact that their decks and sides were about 4 shades darker than they were 5 minutes previously.</p><p> </p><p>To his credit, Whitebeard had been fairly calm about the whole situation, brushing off Roger’s attempts to pay for whatever costs necessary to repair The Moby Dick, and even went as far as to compliment Buggy’s ability to create such destructive weaponry. A compromise was eventually reached, wherein Roger agreed to not pay for the damages done to the Moby Dick, so long as Buggy agreed to not bring any more volatile explosives with him into sparring matches moving forward. Things ended up working out in the end, though Buggy did end up having to clean the entirety of Oro’s main deck as punishment for his reckless weapon testing. </p><p> </p><p>Having Mihawk go up against someone like Buggy, weapons aside, just to see how two tactical and technique focused fighters would do against one another, now THAT was a fight Rayleigh would very much like to see. He might even steal Roger’s camera just to capture it on record.  </p><p> </p><p>Noticing that Mihawk kept glancing back at him every so often, Rayleigh pulled out his own sword, leaving the sheath on, and walked up to stand beside the younger teen, starting to mirror Mihawk’s movement with equally masterful technique. </p><p> </p><p>Mihawk blinked in surprise. “You know this form?” </p><p> </p><p>Rayleigh chuckled, “I trained with someone who preferred it a long time ago. They were a master of it. Sadly, I didn’t stay with them long enough to truly master it myself, but it is an old favorite of mine to break out every so often. You appear to be quite skilled in it though.” </p><p> </p><p>It was only from extended exposure that Rayleigh caught Mihawk’s slight beam of pride. “I appreciate the compliment.” </p><p> </p><p>The Dark King laughed. “No need to be so formal, Fledgling! I’m a pirate, not a nobleman.” </p><p> </p><p>Mihawk scoffed. “You are the greatest swordsman in the world. A title such as that is not one to be taken lightly, and as such you deserve the respect that comes with such an esteemed title.” </p><p> </p><p>“What does respect and formality have to do with each other?” Rayleigh questioned curiously.</p><p> </p><p>“Being formal to someone is being respectful. If you respect someone who is of a higher rank than yourself it only makes sense that you speak to them in a manner that reflects their rightly earned position.” </p><p> </p><p>“Some might consider it standoffish.” </p><p> </p><p>“That is an entirely different thing. There is formal and then there is standoffish.” </p><p> </p><p>Rayleigh smirks. “I see. I suppose that makes sense.  ” </p><p> </p><p>Mihawk nodded and they returned to doing the exercises in silence. It wasn’t long before Mihawk started to feel that he’d done too much, but at the same time he didn’t want to stop. His body had only just gotten warmed up and when would he get another chance to work with the Dark King like this again? </p><p> </p><p>His current tentative plan was to get to the next island and go from there. Do more training, fight more people, get stronger, and then come back and challenge the Dark King once again. That seemed like a pretty decent plan to Mihawk. It was pretty much what he'd been doing so far, so why bother changing his plans now? </p><p> </p><p>It surprised Mihawk a little bit when Rayleigh suddenly spoke. “Is there any place in particular you want to be dropped off? We brought you along with us but we really don’t have much of a set destination in mind at the moment, so we can drop you off wherever you’d like.” </p><p> </p><p>Mihawk shook his head. “No. I travel to find strong opponents and to train. Other than that it doesn’t really matter where I go or when I end up.” </p><p> </p><p>“Then why not stay here and train with us?” Rayleigh asks quietly, after a moment of silence, and the blonde swears he had never seen so much expression on the kid’s face at once. </p><p> </p><p>He was clearly surprised and shocked, and it was loudly reflected in his voice. “Travel with… you?” The raven haired teen asks, almost as though he didn’t believe that he’d just heard.<br/><br/>Rayleigh smiles and nods. “Well sure, why not? We’re always going here and there, so you’ll meet plenty of strong opponents. And once you finally finish healing up you can train against the other boys. Shanks is a fair swordsman in his own right despite his young age, and while Buggy and Bullet might not be much for the Way of the Sword both would be excellent sparring partners that would help you get used to fighting different kinds of fighters.” </p><p> </p><p>Tilting his head, Ray adds, “And of course I would train you if you’d want.” </p><p> </p><p>“You would train me?” Mihawk asks incredulously, his voice rising a few octaves due to his excitement, much to his embarrassment.</p><p> </p><p>Rayleigh nods with a chuckle. “If you’d like. Though keep in mind that staying here for training would mean sharing a room with Shanks, Buggy, and Bullet for the foreseeable future. We’ve got plans to expand at some point, but we haven’t quite gotten there yet, and it might not happen for a while longer. It’ll definitely be cramped, but given how much there is to do around here I doubt you’ll have much reason to stay in your room save to sleep anyways, so I'm sure you and the other boys can manage until we finally reach that point.” </p><p> </p><p>The young swordsman nods, trying very hard to stay calm, cool, and collected despite the rising sense of excitement and glee spreading throughout his chest. Under normal circumstances he might have succeeded, but these were nowhere near normal circumstances. The Dark King himself was offering to personally train with him! Mihawk would be stupid to pass up an opportunity like this, and Mihawk was not stupid. </p><p> </p><p>“That is a fair offer, even if it does require dealing with… the others” Mihawk says, rolling his eyes at the mention of his soon to be roommates.</p><p> </p><p>Rayleigh laughed. “Well I’d be lying if I said they weren’t a handful at times, but there’s always the main deck to escape to if you really need some peace and quiet. And if things get really bad, you can always grab Shanks and have a sword fight. Might help burn off some of his energy. He's much quieter asleep than he is awake after all.” </p><p> </p><p>Mihawk hummed. “And what would be expected of me if I were to accept your offer? I'm assuming there’s more to joining this crew than just training with you, am I correct?” </p><p> </p><p>Rayleigh smiled, pleased to see that the kid had a good head on his shoulders. No one traveled on a ship for free, and it would seem that Mihawk was smart enough to at least find out what he was getting himself involved in before signing himself up for a potential unfavorable situation. </p><p> </p><p>“The obvious, mostly. You would be required to help with chores, some consisting of regular tasks that you’ll be responsible for completing everyday, others more irregular jobs that you’ll do only when asked or when necessary. In battle you won’t be required to fight or kill if you don’t want to, but we ask that you at least be able to handle yourself. We will do our best to protect you if you need it, but you still need to be sensible and responsible for your own safety whenever possible. You would also be expected to be loyal to the crew and to watch our backs just like we would watch your's. There will also be no thieving, backstabbing or nakama slaying. Last but not least, as I said before, you’ll have to share a room with the other apprentices until we make different arrangements. Other than that, however, you’re free to do as you please.” </p><p> </p><p>Mihawk nods, not seeing anything wrong or out of place with those terms. “Sounds fair enough.” </p><p> </p><p>Rayleigh grinned. “Well then Fledgling, will you come under my Wing and let me show you the Way of the Sword?” </p><p> </p><p>Rayleigh is almost certain that Mihawk wasn’t aware of how much he puffed up with pride following the older man’s words. “It would be an honor to be shown the Way of the Sword, Master.” </p><p> </p><p>Touching the hilt of his blade, Rayleigh bent down to be at eye level with the younger teen, reaching his other hand forward to place it on top of the jet black locks that adjourned Mihawk’s head. “Then I swear on my sword to show you, Dracule Mihawk, the Way of the Sword. To teach and care for you until the day you’re able to spread your Wings and let the winds of fate carry you to wherever your journey may take you thereafter.” </p><p> </p><p>It was years of training that kept Mihawk from vibrating with excitement as he recites the lines he had memorized by heart. “And I, Dracule Mihawk, accept your wisdom and your tutelage, and look forward to the day when it is you who watches my back, as I carry with me the knowledge and skills I learned beneath the guidance and protection of your Wing.” </p><p> </p><p>“Oh, so you do know how the ritual goes? I must admit I'm quite impressed. It’s rare to find a Fledgling as young as yourself who already knows the Creed, much less one who’s gone to all the trouble of memorizing it as well as you have” Rayleigh beams, growing more and more impressed with Mihawk with each passing second.</p><p> </p><p>Mihawk nods. “I learned it from an old Swordsman a long time ago. I suppose you could think of him as my first master, however he was far too old to do more than reminisce on the “old days” and relay the occasional useful piece of information. He wasn’t stern by any means, but my learning of the Creed was the one thing he refused to budge on. Something about not making a fool of myself if I were to ever acquire a reputable master.” </p><p> </p><p>“Interesting. One of these days you’ll have to tell me about all your old masters, Mihawk. But that’s for another time, for now let’s get you settled in with the other boys and then get to finding you a better sword. I have a few more to choose from but this one was the most similar to your old one so I figured it would be the best choice while you were getting back on your feet. Continue to train with it as you did today, for now, but the next time we stop at a major island I’ll see to it that you get a proper sword” the blonde says, turning to head below deck as he finished speaking.<br/><br/></p><p>Mihawk scurried to catch up. “I can pay-” </p><p> </p><p>Rayleigh snorted, his laughter effectively cutting Mihawk off. “You might be able to, but I would be nothing short of offended at the mere thought. I am your Master, Fledgling and I take my duties very seriously. One of those duties is to see to it that you’re taken care of, meaning any and all of your basic needs, and maybe even then some, are to come at my financial expense, not yours. I was the one who bought Shanks his first sword when I officially took him on as a student, and I will be doing the same for you, as well.” </p><p> </p><p>“Most Master’s would make their Fledgling pay for their own upkeep” Mihawk comments as he walks by Rayleigh’s side, a slight look of discomfort etched into his face.<br/><br/></p><p>“Well, I’m a little different from most other Master’s you’ll meet,” Rayleigh says, “But if it makes you feel better, think of it as an investment on my part. One day you’re going to be a magnificent swordsman, I can already tell, and so becoming your Master and training you is almost like my own way of ensuring that a piece of me and my legacy gets passed down to the next generation of swordsmen, and lives on in the spirits and blades of those who you will one day take under your own wing. And who knows? One day you might even be strong enough to beat me. Now wouldn’t that be a fight to look forward to?”<br/><br/>Mihawk grinned, his discomfort and apprehension instantly disappearing at the mention of Rayleigh’s challenge, the fires of determination already lit within him. “Yes! Yes it would!” </p><p> </p><p>From the steering wheel above the main deck, Roger and Crocus watched the pair of swordsmen disappear below deck, probably off to show Mihawk where the boys’ room was so that he could officially get settled in.</p><p> </p><p>Crocus scratched his chin. “So, does that mean he’s finally adopted the stubborn little tyke?” </p><p> </p><p>“Oh ya, I’d say that’s about as official as it gets!” Roger snickers. “I wonder who in our lovely family will be next to join the ranks of fatherhood?” </p><p> </p><p>Crocus rolls his eyes. “For the record, I am NOT adopting anyone. Period. My brother just had twins, so I’m calling that close enough.” The doctor quickly turns around and wonders off before his Captain can get any funny ideas. </p><p> </p><p>Roger blinks in confusion for a moment before spinning around to look at Crocus, a look of total bewilderment spread across the raven haired man’s face. “Wait, what? Hey! Crocus, get back here! When the hell did you become an uncle?! WHY HAVE A PAIR OF BABIES NOT BEEN PLACED INTO MY ARMS YET????? CROCUS!” </p><p> </p><p>--------------------------</p><p> </p><p>And so, on that day, Mihawk joined the Roger Pirates in their adventures on the High Sea, and heaven knows that there were many adventures to be had. Not least of which was Mihawk having to figure out how to be part of a family of very crazy, very eccentric pirates. </p><p> </p><p>It would be many years before either Rayleigh or Mihawk ever referred to each other as “father” and “son” aloud in the presence of others, but Rayleigh supposed that perhaps Roger had been on to something after all. The two swordsmen might not be quite as openly affectionate with one another as Roger was with his children, but Rayleigh would happily lay his life down if it meant giving Mihawk the chance to prosper, like he knew the boy one day would, and Mihawk would slay any man who dared smear dirt upon the good name of the man who trained and raised him as his own.</p><p> </p><p>Mihawk would one day grow into the greatest swordsman the world had ever seen, but for now, the young teen was more than content to remain as he was; a humble student guided by the wisdom of his teacher’s blade.</p><p> </p><p>A promising little fledgling taken under his father’s silver wings.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Yay, Mihawk's fic is done!!! This was a super fun chapter to edit, I absolutely loved the wing imagery that Dragowolf added and I hope I did a good job of highlighting that amazing imagery!!!! All in all we're kind of in a phase where we have to introduce a lot of the characters that will become really super important to the series later on, so if you see a few more fics pertaining to introducing characters and where they fit into the AU, fear not, there will be more plot heavy stuff coming very soon. I do plan on finishing my rouge fic sometime this year so hopefully once I wrap that beast up we can move on to something more interesting, like more Blue Shadow stuff, cuz there's a lot of stuff around that whole plot line that im DYING to tell you all about but i cant until I finish the projects I've already started. Anyways thank you all so much for reading, I hope you enjoyed this fic and if you did please make sure to leave a comment telling Dragowolf how amazing her writing is because without her you guys wouldn't have any of this amazing Roger content so please please please shower her in the love and appreciation she deserves. Next week will be another Rouge chapter, so if youre wondering when more of that will be coming, keep your eyes peeled for next tuesday cuz lots of interesting stuff is gonna happen in this coming chapter. Anyways thank you all so much for reading once again, I love you all very dearly, and I hope to see you all soon in my next update. Bye!!! &lt;3</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thanks for reading, and I hope to see you soon for chapter 2. Bye!!! &lt;3</p></blockquote></div></div>
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